Disposable portable gasoline container having a collapsible plastic-lined spout



J. c. LOWE 3,329,316 DISPOSABLE PORTABLE GASOLINE CONTAINER HAVING AJuly 4, 1967 COLLAPSIBLE PLASTIC-LINED SPOUT Filed Aug. 23, 1965 E m ETO &N N L R E O v pr me S E MW A FIG.5.

United States Patent 3 329 316 DISPOSABLE PORTABLE GASOLINE CONTAINERHAVING A COLLAPSIBLE PLASTIC -LINED SPOUT James C. Lowe, 1632 SunsetAve., Santa Monica, Calif. 90405 Filed Aug. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 481,778 3Claims. (Cl. 222-183) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relatesto a cardboard carton for carrying gasoline from a garage to a strandedautomobile, the carton being disposable after use. The structure of thecarton includes a flexible pouring spout of paper or cardboard materialadapted to be folded flat against an end wall of the carton in aposition extending upwardly along the end wall surface, the lower end ofthe spout connecting with the interior of the container and the upperend being pressed to a flat condition during the folding operation andextending to at least as high as the top wall of the carton. A simplepull tab is provided for folding the spout downwardly when the containeris to be used to pour gasoline therefrom into an automobile, thisdownward movement of the spout causing the spout to unfold to define apassage for the fluid. The structure also includes integral wallextensions providing convenient carrying handles for the container.

This invention relates generally to gasoline containers, and moreparticularly to an improved portable container which is disposable afteruse.

On those occasions on which a motorist runs out of gasoline and has toproceed to a service station to obtain a small amount to carry back tohis car, it is common practice for the station attendant to demand adeposit to insure that the motorist will return with the containersupplied by the attendant.

This deposit is required since the containers usually available for theabove-described purposes are made of metals to insure durability, andthus are relatively expensive.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of this invention toprovide an improved portable gasoline container which is designed to bedisposable after use.

Another object is to provide an improved portable gasoline containercomposed of light weight, inexpensive materials.

Another object is to provide an improved portable gasoline containerwhich is easily filled and emptied.

Another object is to provide an improved portable container which may beeasily folded to facilitate storage prior to use thereof.

Another object is to provide an improved gasoline container which may bemanufactured economically.

Briefly, these and many other objects and advantages of this inventionare attained by providing a container constructed of craft paper orcardboard or the like and having a light gauge plastic envelope liningthe inner surfaces throughout to insure no leakage of fluid from thecontainer. Convenient carrying means are provided at the top of thecontainer by means of side wall extensions or flaps in which handopenings are provided. A circular filler or inlet opening is provided inthe top of the container of such size to easily accommodate the outletpipe of the ordinary service station gasoline pump. This inlet openingis provided with a conventional press cap such as employed on aconventional cardboard milk carton, the cap, however, being larger tofit the opening and having a vent hole therethrough. This vent hole isprovided to allow the escape of gasoline fumes from the container and toprevent a pressure build-up therein.

A rectangular outlet opening is provided in the lower portion of an endwall of the container and a generally cylindrical spout is attached tothe end wall about the outlet opening. The spout is constructed tolaterally collapse or fold substantially flat against the end wall ofthe container and extend upwardly along the end wall to a point abovethe top wall of the container. The top or outer portion of the spout islightly secured to the end wall be means of adhesives or the like.Because the spout is collapsible, it folds flat against the end wall ofthe container, thereby closing the fluid passage through the spout andpreventing leakage therethrough. A pull tab is attached to the spoutproviding means to pull the spout away from the end wall of thecontainer and causing the spout to flex downwardly about the outletopening in the end wall of the container. As the spout is flexed, thewalls thereof unfold and open to provide a flow passage therethrough.

A better understanding of the invention will be had by referring to apreferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved container;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the operativeposition of the carrying means; and,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the container showing the spout in itsopen, downwardly extending position.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 there is shown an improved container 10having a rectangular bottom wall 11. Rectangular end walls 12, areattached to opposite ends of the bottom wall 11 and extend upwardly atright angles thereto. Rectangular side walls 13 are attached to oppositeends of the bottom wall 11 and extend upwardly at right angles thereto.The end walls 12 and the side walls 13 are attached together at thejunctures thereof. A rectangular top wall 14 is attached to the sidewalls and end walls and is disposed parallel to the bottom wall 11. Itis thus apparent that the aforesaid walls are attached and joinedtogether to form a box-like enclosure. A circular inlet opening 15 islocated in the top Wall 14 and is adapted to be closed off by aconventional press cap 16 having a vent hole 17.

Flaps or extensions 18 are formed coextensively with the side walls 13and extend upwardly above the top wall 14. Each of the flaps 18 has arectangular hand opening 19 therethrough.

A rectangular outlet opening 20 is located in one of the end walls 12adjacent the bottom wall 11. The opening 20 is equidistantly spaced fromthe side walls 13.

A generally cylindrical spout 21 constructed of flexible material, suchas kraft paper or the like, is arranged to be collapsed and folded intoa substantially flat condition against the end Wall 12. Suitableadhesive is provided to hold the spout to the wall. In its collapsedcondition, the spout 21 extends upwardly along the end wall 12 to apoint above the top wall 14 so that when the container is full of fluidthere is no possibility of fluid 'flowing out of the spout. A cardboardpull tab 22 is attached to the top or outer end of the spout 21.

As partly shown in the broken away portion of FIG- URE 1, the innersurfaces of the walls of the container 10 and the inner surface of thespout 21 are lined with a thin flexible plastic envelop 24 composed ofpolyethylene or the like. The plastic envelope 24 is provided with acircular opening registering with the opening 15 in the top wall 14. Theedge of the opening in the plastic envelope 24 is securely attached tothe edge of the opening 15 by means of adhesives, such that when thecontainer 10 is filled with gasoline, the gasoline enters the 3 insideof the plastic envelope 24 and is contained thereby. The plasticenvelope 24 is further provided with an opening therethrough which ispositioned at and registered with the inner walls of the spout 21.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the manner in which the flaps 18 provide acarrying handle is illustrated. Normally the flaps are in a first dottedline position. To form the handle the flaps are folded toward each otherin the direction of arrows A to a second position shOWn in solid lines.The hand openings 19 are thus brought together and coincide to form ahand opening by which the container may be carried with one hand.

It is apparent that above-described carrying means is susceptible to analternative method of use. Since the flaps 18 normally extend upwardlyin parallel spaced relationship to each other, as shown in the dottedlines,

the container 10 is easily carried between two persons if so desired.Each person simply places a hand through the opening 19 in each flap 18and thus the container is easily carried between them.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the spout 21 is show in its open, downwardlyextending position having been flexed about the outlet opening 20 in adirection shown by the arrow B. In the position shown, the spout 21 isunfolded to provide a flow passage therethrough which terminates in aspout outlet opening 23. The flexible material of which the spout 21 andthe end wall 12 are constructed, is joined together about the opening 20to form a flexible connection therebetween. Thus, the spout 21 can beeasily flexible about the opening 20 without requiring the use of anyadditional hinge or joint means.

In operation, the press cap 16 is removed and the container 10 is filledwith gasoline in the conventional manner. After the press cap 16 isreplaced, the flaps 18 are brought together so that the hand opening 19coincides to form a hand opening by which the container may be graspedand carried.

The container is emptied in the following manner: the pull tab 22 isgrasped and the spout 21 is pulled away from the end wall 12 and isflexed about the outlet opening 20 to a position extending downwardlyand away from the end wall 12. In so doing, the spout 21 is itselfunfolded to provide an open flow passage communicating with the outletopening 20 and terminating in the spout outlet opening 23. The plasticenvelope 24 which lines the inner surfaces of the container and thespout insures that the gasoline within the container will flow outthrough the spout with no leakage involved. After the container has beenused, it is thrown away.

From the foregoing description of the structure and opertaion of thisinvention, it is apparent that an improved container has been providedwhich is easy and convenient to use for the purposes stated. Thematerials used in the construction of the improved container are lightweight, of light gauge, and inexpensive and are so constructed andarranged to facilitate folding for storage and easy disposed of thecontainer after use.

Various changes falling within the scope and spirit of this inventionwill occur to those skilled in the art. The container structure is,therefore, not to be thought of as limited to the specific embodimentset forth.

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable portable gasoline container, comprising: a pair of sidewalls; a pair of end walls joined to said side walls; a bottom wallattached to said side walls and end Walls; a top Wall attached to saidside walls and end walls, said top wall having a capped inlet openingtherein; handle means attached to and extending upwardly from said sidewalls, one of said end walls having an outlet opening therein adjacentto said bottom wall; a folding collapsible spout attached to said oneend wall about said outlet opening, said spout being foldedsubstantially flat against said one end wall to extend upwardly alongsaid end wall to a point at least as high as said top wall and preventfluid from passing through said spout; a pull tab attached to saidspout, whereby said spout may be flexed downwardly about said outletopening, said spout unfolding in response to downward movement toprovide a fluid passage from said outlet opening through said spout; anda plastic envelope lining the inner surfaces of said container and saidspout and having openings registering with said inlet opening and theoutlet at the outer end of said spout.

2. A portable disposable gasoline container, according to claim 3, inwhich said outlet opening is rectangular in shape.

3. A portable disposable gasoline container, according to claim 3, inwhich said handle means comprises flaps formed coextensively with saidside walls and extending upwardly from said top wall, each of said flapshaving a generally rectangular hand opening therethrough, whereby whensaid flaps are folded together the said hand openings coincide to form acarrying means for said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,225,492 12/ 1940 Warrick 229-522,899,109 8/1959 Shorkey 222183 3,087,655 4/1963 Scholle 2221833,095,123 6/1963 Smith 222-l 3,142,421 7/ 1964 Sieracki 222-4663,170,601 2/1965 Daley 222-153 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,329 11/1933 Germany.631,370 11/ 1949 Great Britain.

WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner.

1. A DISPOSABLE PORTABLE GASOLINE CONTAINER, COMPRISING: A PAIR OF SIDEWALLS; A PAIR OF END WALLS JOINED TO SAID SIDE WALLS; A BOTTOM WALLATTACHED TO SAID SIDE WALLS AND END WALLS; A TOP WALL ATTACHED TO SAIDSIDE WALLS AND END WALLS, SAID TOP WALL HAVING A CAPPED INLET OPENINGTHEREIN; HANDLE MEANS ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID SIDEWALLS, ONE OF SAID END WALLS HAVING AN OUTLET OPENING THEREIN ADJACENTTO SAID BOTTOM WALL; A FOLDING COLLAPSIBLE SPOUT ATTACHED TO SAID ONEEND WALL ABOUT SAID OUTLET OPENING, SAID SPOUT BEING FOLDEDSUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AGAINST SAID ONE END WALL TO EXTEND